Improvement in watch-cases



O. DOMON Watch-Case.

No. 200,379. Patented Feb. 19,1878.

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m lizefifles Inventor 0% a @W UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

OVIDE DOMON, OF BIENNE, SNVITZERLAND.

IMPROVEMENT IN WATCH-CASES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 200,379, dated February 1.9, 1878 application filed March 28, 1877.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, OvInE DoMoN, of Bienne, in the Republic of Switzerland, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Watch-Cases, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in which-- Figure 1 represents a front view, Fig. 2 a side view of the watch-case, and Fig. 3 a section of the watch and case.

My invention relates not only to the construction of watch-cases, but also to the construction, in connection therewith, of watchmovements or the watch mechanism.

My invention cannot be carried out independently of the watch-movement or the particular construction of the same with reference to a watch-plate, the winding and handsetting mechanism involving neither rim nor case. Such watch, however, is already the subject-matter of a patent of even date herewith.

To inclose such a watch I have devised a case of peculiar construction, offering great advantages to the manufacturer, as well as to the dealer, and the public in generalthe former on account of the facility and readiness with which the same can be manufactured and applied; the latter because of the facility which the system I have devised affords for exchanging cases to suit the taste or means of the purchaser, and particularly enabling him to keep a limited stock of cases on hand without interfering with his readily supplying every demand. The public derives its advantage in obtaining, at small expense, a watch offering every condition of excellence and durability.

The watch is constructed, as before stated, with a watch-plate which carries all the parts constituting the watch movement or mechanism.

This watch-plate, marked in the drawing A, is made with a circumferential groove, into which fit the feathering flanges or edges of two separate watch-plates, which are snapped in and firmly held therein by virtue of their springiness or elasticity.

In the drawing, the circumferential groove in the watch-plate is shown at 'n.

The watch-case consists of two parts-the front part F and the back F. The edges of these two parts are slightly bent inward, forming projections or lips m, which are sprung into the circumferential groove a in the edge of the plate A, and which will hold the casing perfectly firm.

The two parts may be united by ahinge placed opposite the stem 0.

It will be seen, on inspection of the drawing, that I prefer to corrugate circularly both plates. The back plate, however, being OOIllposed entirely of metal, is for alarge portion plain-faced, while the front plate is finished with a return flange, or a flange turning inward to butt against the face-plate of the watch. At the exterior angle, which is formed by this return flange and the corrugated case, is formed a bezel-edge, into which the glass is sprung and is firmly held therein.

By this arrangement it will be seen that peculiar rigidity is given to the case, and that it is not necessary to crowd the watchwork and unduly flatten it to apply a glass face, which, in this instance, as shown in the drawing, may be made much smaller than the watch-plate, and may be arranged at considerable distance from said plate by means of studs or project-ions on the plate itself.

Having thus described my said invention, and the manner in which the same is or may be carried into effect, I would observe I am aware that watches have heretofore been con structed with one of the plates of the watchcase, as well as the bezel-frame, to be removable from the watch-plate, which, for the reception of said bezel-frame and watch-case plate, was suitably rabbeted or grooved. Such an arrangement may be seen in Letters Patent issued on the 30th of June, 1863, to J. Itedier; therefore I do not, broadly, claim the securing of a watclrcase plate to the watchplate by a circumferential groove or rabbet, or in any other manner than hereinbefore described; but

What I do claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination, with a watch-plate circumferentially grooved, as described, of a case consisting of two parts, constructed and arranged substantially as herein shown and by the return flange and the corrugated disk, described. F h f t substantially as shown and set forth.

2. The peculiar construction or t e ron case the same consisting of a corrugated an- OVIDE DOMON' nular disk provided with a feather-edge 0n Witnesses: the one side and a return flange at the other, RUDOLF ASOHMANN, and with abezel-edge cut at the angle formed ULYssE PERRENOUD WURFLEIN. 

